AFTER escorting his wife upstairs, Levin went to Dollys part of the house. Darya Alexandrovna, for her part, was in great distress too that day. She was walking about the room, talking angrily to a little girl, who stood in the corner roaring.

Grisha and she went into the raspberries, and there I cant tell you really what she did. Its a thousand pities Miss Elliots not with us. This one sees to nothingshes a machine Figurez-vous que la petite? 

You mean, how shall I say Stay, stay in the corner! she said to Masha, who, detecting a faint smile on her mothers face, had been turning round. The opinion of the world would be that he is behaving as young men do behave. Il fait la cour à une jeune et jolie femme, and a husband whos a man of the world should only be flattered by it.

What do you mean! Are you crazy? Dolly cried in horror; nonsense, Kostya, only think! she said, laughing. You can go now to Fanny, she said to Masha. No, if you wish it, Ill speak to Stiva. Hell take him away. He can say youre expecting visitors. Altogether he doesnt fit into the house.

Not a bit. I shall so enjoy it, Levin said, his eyes flashing with real enjoyment. Come, forgive her, Dolly, she wont do it again, he said of the little sinner who had not gone to Fanny, but was standing irresolutely before her mother, waiting and looking up from under her brows to catch her mothers eye.

Whether there was something exceptional in Levins face, or that Vassenka was himself conscious that ce petit brin de cour he was making was out of place in this family; but he was somewhat (as much as a young man in society can be) disconcerted at Levins entrance.

On the table lay a piece of stick which they had broken together that morning, trying their strength. Levin took the fragments in his hands and began smashing it up, breaking bits off the stick, not knowing how to begin.

It happens that I expect visitors, said Levin, his strong fingers more and more rapidly breaking off the ends of the split stick. And Im not expecting visitors, and nothing has happened, but I beg you to go away. You can explain my rudeness as you like.

Probably the sight of those nervous fingers, of the muscles he had proved that morning at gymnastics, of the glittering eyes, the soft voice, and quivering jaws, convinced Vassenka better than any words. He bowed, shrugging his shoulders, and smiling contemptuously.

What madness is this? Stepan Arkadyevitch said when, after hearing from his friend that he was being turned out of the house, he found Levin in the garden, where he was walking about waiting for his guests departure. Mais cest ridicule! What fly has stung you? Mais cest du dernier ridicule! What did you think, if a young man 

Please dont go into it! I cant help it. I feel ashamed of how Im treating you and him. But it wont be, I imagine, a great grief to him to go, and his presence was distasteful to me and to my wife.

Levin turned quickly, and walked away from him into the depths of the avenue, and he went on walking up and down alone. Soon he heard the rumble of the trap, and saw from behind the trees how Vassenka, sitting in the hay (unluckily there was no seat in the trap) in his Scotch cap, was driven along the avenue, jolting up and down over the ruts.

Whats this? Levin thought, when a footman ran out of the house and stopped the trap. It was the mechanician, whom Levin had totally forgotten. The mechanician, bowing low, said something to Veslovsky, then clambered into the trap, and they rode off together.

Stepan Arkadyevitch and the princess were much upset by Levins action. And he himself felt not only in the highest degree ridicule, but also utterly guilty and disgraced. But remembering what sufferings he and his wife had been through, when he asked himself how he should act another time, he answered that he should do just the same again.

In spite of all this, towards the end of that day, every one except the princess, who could not pardon Levins action, became extraordinarily lively and good-humoured, like children after a punishment or grown-up people after a dreary, ceremonious reception, so that by the evening Vassenkas dismissal was spoken of, in the absence of the princess, as though it were some remote event. And Dolly, who had inherited her fathers gift of humorous story-telling, made Varenka helpless with laughter as she related for the third and fourth time, always with fresh humorous additions, how she had only just put on her new shoes for the benefit of the visitor, and on going into the drawing-room, heard suddenly the rumble of the trap. And who should be in the trap but Vassenka himself, with his Scotch cap, and his songs and his gaiters, and all, sitting in the hay.

If only youd ordered out the carriage! But no! and then I hear: Stop! Oh, I thought theyve relented. I look out, and behold a fat German being sat down by him and driving away And my new shoes all for nothing! 